ALMOST HALFWAY FUNDED!
It's a little over three months away and I am almost half way funded. The generosity of the people who I have called upon to support me has been immense! People from my home church, relatives, and friends have given what they can. Everyday I run to my mail box after classes and continue to receive more donations. Each time I smile like a little girl on Christmas day.
"God is going to provide" has been my mantra. and he sure has!
Last week was my birthday and I celebrated by booking my flight. Its starting to feel real, with every step I get closer to leaving I feel this sense of overwhelming joy building inside of me. I imagine it feeling like being pregnant and waiting 9 months to meet the baby you have growing inside of you. I only have to wait 3 more months to meet the family and place I will call home for 2 months. To walk the streets of the place I have been dreaming of going to for years. To help the sick! To begin my work fighting aids!
I've spent the last week running around trying to figure out where I'm going to live next year. I've worried about closet space, kitchen sizes, bedroom layouts, and number of bathrooms. But how fortunate am I to even get the choice in where I live. To be able to have a flushing toilet. To have a roof over my head. If the world has taught me anything so far, its that the stress we have is much greater than the reality surrounding us. Stress is deceiving and poisonous. My god, he takes my stress away and fills me to the brim with joy. God is going to provide.
If you are reading this and you have donated, thank you so much. The people of Tanzania need our help, and you have done just this through your donation.
If you are reading this and wonder how you could help me but maybe don't have money, please pray for me. Please pray for my mission and the people I will be living with and my preparations for going.
If you are interested in donating http://www.myprojectsabroad.org/fundraising/56164. Use password "iALRDW".
Until the next time,
Sarah
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Take me back to California
All of the planning is causing me to reminisce on some of the cool stuff I've gotten to do in the past.
But today I'm really thinking about Yosemite.
I first went to Yosemite the summer of 2005 with my two sisters and dad. We drove across America on a month long trip, stopping at every national park along the way. On this trip I would attempt my first Lake Tahoe 100 mile bike ride. and fail. I backpacked the Grand Canyon and did some pretty neat stuff. But what stuck with me was the week we spent in Yosemite Valley. Probably one of the coolest places in the world. Nothing can compare to the views, the vast cliffs, the giant trees, and flowing water. But time was short and we had to move on to our next stop.
My dad has a heart for adventure and a love of the outdoors that I am so thankful he gave to me. So 6 years later when Dad said he wanted to go to Yosemite again, I was all in. This time we would do it a bit different. Amy(my sister), Vicki(my stepmom), Dad, and myself flew to California and drove to Lake Tahoe, Nevada. This time I would successfully finish my first century(100 mile) bike ride. Even greater, I would do it with my Dad, Lyndsey(other sister), and my Granda. My granda was honored as the number one fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society's Team in Training who sponsor the ride; riding with him was the greatest honor. Here is a picture of my Lyndsey, Granda, dad and I at the finish line:
The opportunity was one of a lifetime.
We then set off to Yosemite, a half days drive from Tahoe. We spent the first day getting settled into camp and preparing our legs for the next day. Now I am certain that there is a gene in the Schaet blood that makes you want to climb very tall things and feel accomplished. SO naturally in Yosemite, Dad and I wanted to make sure we climbed it all. The most important, half dome. Half dome is about 4700 feet above the valley floor(where you begin the hike) and an 18 mile round trip day hike. EIGHTEEN MILES IN ONE DAY! I won't go into the nitty gritties because I really only want to remember the feeling of standing on top.
That feeling is the greatest feeling. I've felt it a few times but nothing compared to Half Dome. You look around and see the world how God intended it to be, pure. and you are all a part of the image.
Wow what a great euphoria, and I can't wait to experience it at a whole new level on top of Mt.Kilimanjaro.
But today I'm really thinking about Yosemite.
I first went to Yosemite the summer of 2005 with my two sisters and dad. We drove across America on a month long trip, stopping at every national park along the way. On this trip I would attempt my first Lake Tahoe 100 mile bike ride. and fail. I backpacked the Grand Canyon and did some pretty neat stuff. But what stuck with me was the week we spent in Yosemite Valley. Probably one of the coolest places in the world. Nothing can compare to the views, the vast cliffs, the giant trees, and flowing water. But time was short and we had to move on to our next stop.
My dad has a heart for adventure and a love of the outdoors that I am so thankful he gave to me. So 6 years later when Dad said he wanted to go to Yosemite again, I was all in. This time we would do it a bit different. Amy(my sister), Vicki(my stepmom), Dad, and myself flew to California and drove to Lake Tahoe, Nevada. This time I would successfully finish my first century(100 mile) bike ride. Even greater, I would do it with my Dad, Lyndsey(other sister), and my Granda. My granda was honored as the number one fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society's Team in Training who sponsor the ride; riding with him was the greatest honor. Here is a picture of my Lyndsey, Granda, dad and I at the finish line:
We then set off to Yosemite, a half days drive from Tahoe. We spent the first day getting settled into camp and preparing our legs for the next day. Now I am certain that there is a gene in the Schaet blood that makes you want to climb very tall things and feel accomplished. SO naturally in Yosemite, Dad and I wanted to make sure we climbed it all. The most important, half dome. Half dome is about 4700 feet above the valley floor(where you begin the hike) and an 18 mile round trip day hike. EIGHTEEN MILES IN ONE DAY! I won't go into the nitty gritties because I really only want to remember the feeling of standing on top.
Wow what a great euphoria, and I can't wait to experience it at a whole new level on top of Mt.Kilimanjaro.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
First Decision
I have decided to do my internship in Dar es Salaam.
I am naturally a pretty decisive person, but in light of recent events I have become somewhat insecure I guess about my decision making. This decision has been the first I've made in a long time that I feel 100% confident about. Dar is a large city, but it is the safest in all of east Africa. In Dar I will be able to experience the true culture of Tanzania. But imagine you came to America and visited only New York City, you would never see the beaches in south Florida or the Mountains in Colorado. So I decided the best way to get a taste of both worlds of Africa, the nature and the culture, is to travel to Arusha after my internship is complete. The intention of this being to climb Mt.Kilimanjaro.
Speaking of Mt.K, here's my Granda's story of his trek:
"I had made my way to Nairobi, Kenya. Locally, I booked a 10-day, camping safari to see the wild animals. When we got close to the Tanzania border, I left the group and hitchhiked across the border to a town near the foot of Kilimanjaro and booked a guided climb up the mountain through a local agency that provided some warm clothing, a couple guides and a place to sleep for two nights before the climb. I stayed at the agency lodgings for two nights. In our group there was a Japanese journalist, a British biology teacher and a family of four--parents and two teenage boys. The guides carried all our stuff. I carried a water bottle, a hilking stick and a small day pack. The climb took three days. We slept in small A-frame huts that had 4 bunks each night The guide prepared all the meals in open-air pavilions near the huts. There was nothing technical about the climb, and there was no arduous claming until the last bit. We arrived at our overnight stop at about 1630 on the third day. We turned in right after supper as reveille was at midnight. I was to fired up to sleep. We began the last of the ascent at 0015. The guide carried a lantern and led the way. The footing was in loose scree (lava gravel). It was steep, and there was a tendency to slide backwards with each step--stout hiking stick is a must. Because of the surface, the steepness and the lack of oxygen the pace of the guide went like this: take three steps, stop, lean on stick for a 30-second rest, repeat. The goal was to get to the top before dawn (about 0600) to see the sunrise. By 0900, it clouds over every say and you see nothing. When we got to the top, I was exhausted. I sat do a big boulder and took a 30-minute power nap. The view was awsome. The Brit and I bounded down sliding through the scree and stepped lively to the overnight place. We spent only one night on the way down.
I am naturally a pretty decisive person, but in light of recent events I have become somewhat insecure I guess about my decision making. This decision has been the first I've made in a long time that I feel 100% confident about. Dar is a large city, but it is the safest in all of east Africa. In Dar I will be able to experience the true culture of Tanzania. But imagine you came to America and visited only New York City, you would never see the beaches in south Florida or the Mountains in Colorado. So I decided the best way to get a taste of both worlds of Africa, the nature and the culture, is to travel to Arusha after my internship is complete. The intention of this being to climb Mt.Kilimanjaro.
Speaking of Mt.K, here's my Granda's story of his trek:
"I had made my way to Nairobi, Kenya. Locally, I booked a 10-day, camping safari to see the wild animals. When we got close to the Tanzania border, I left the group and hitchhiked across the border to a town near the foot of Kilimanjaro and booked a guided climb up the mountain through a local agency that provided some warm clothing, a couple guides and a place to sleep for two nights before the climb. I stayed at the agency lodgings for two nights. In our group there was a Japanese journalist, a British biology teacher and a family of four--parents and two teenage boys. The guides carried all our stuff. I carried a water bottle, a hilking stick and a small day pack. The climb took three days. We slept in small A-frame huts that had 4 bunks each night The guide prepared all the meals in open-air pavilions near the huts. There was nothing technical about the climb, and there was no arduous claming until the last bit. We arrived at our overnight stop at about 1630 on the third day. We turned in right after supper as reveille was at midnight. I was to fired up to sleep. We began the last of the ascent at 0015. The guide carried a lantern and led the way. The footing was in loose scree (lava gravel). It was steep, and there was a tendency to slide backwards with each step--stout hiking stick is a must. Because of the surface, the steepness and the lack of oxygen the pace of the guide went like this: take three steps, stop, lean on stick for a 30-second rest, repeat. The goal was to get to the top before dawn (about 0600) to see the sunrise. By 0900, it clouds over every say and you see nothing. When we got to the top, I was exhausted. I sat do a big boulder and took a 30-minute power nap. The view was awsome. The Brit and I bounded down sliding through the scree and stepped lively to the overnight place. We spent only one night on the way down.
I
managed to get to a town where I could get a bus back to Kenya. I took
one to Mombassa on the east coast of Kenya. I made my way from there
up the coast to an island called
Lamu, which was a very pleasant place to visit for a week. I bummed a
ride in a two-seat piper cub back to Mombassa, then flew back to Nairobi
in a real plane. From there I hitched a ride to the foot of Mt. Kenya
to climb it. Save for the fact that I celebrated
my 53d birthday on top of Mt. Kenya with two Brit soldiers, two
Canadian school teachers and a U.S. ex-pat, splitting a Cadbury
chocolate bar in lieu of a cake as they sang "Happy Birthday" to me. "
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
My very first post: Tanzania!
Hi World, I've never had a blog before so bare with me as I figure this all out.
I am starting this blog today because I want a memory of the Adventure I have been embarking on for 19 years so far. I see life as an adventure, a never ending road with lots of twists and turns.
Yesterday I found out that after years of hoping, wishing, dreaming, researching, and begging my Dad to say yes, I will be going to Africa this summer! I have been selected to do a medical internship in TANZANIA! The program is through projects abroad which has internships and volunteers all around the world doing work in orphanages, nature, hospitals, and classrooms in the many developing and third world countries. I wanted to start this blog to have a memory from the beginning of planning this adventure to the end.
I have a lot on my plate, I should really be studying organic chemistry right now instead, but foremost I have to choose which city to do my internship. I can either choose Arusha or Dar Es Salaam. Dar is the largest city in Tanzania and known for its beautiful beaches. Arusha is still a city but much more rural. It is the pedestal for Mt.Kilimanjaro. The projects abroad desk staff recommend that a pre-med student choose Dar Es Salaam because the internship is in the local teaching hospital. While there I would be treated the same as 3rd year interns in medical school in America are treated. I would conduct rounds, learn how to administer medication and do basic need work, and do outreach programs in the slums of the city. The city is also rated the safest city on the east coast of Africa. In Arusha, I wouldn't be able to do as much hands-on learning. However, I would be closer to national parks and surrounded by the more stereotypical African lifestyle.
I think I will choose Dar Es Salaam and then at the finish of my internship fly to Arusha and CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO! so many bucketlist items getting scratched off at one time! I am researching different groups that do climbs, one I recently found was through REI. I really want my Dad and sister to come meet me and do it with me but it is very expensive.
I'm going through one of my biggest life changes right now and all of this decision making is SO HARD!
oh yeah and then there is the task of raising 6000 dollars to be able to do my internship!
Thanks for reading, if anyone has info or advice please share and keep my journey in your prayers.
Sarah
I am starting this blog today because I want a memory of the Adventure I have been embarking on for 19 years so far. I see life as an adventure, a never ending road with lots of twists and turns.
Yesterday I found out that after years of hoping, wishing, dreaming, researching, and begging my Dad to say yes, I will be going to Africa this summer! I have been selected to do a medical internship in TANZANIA! The program is through projects abroad which has internships and volunteers all around the world doing work in orphanages, nature, hospitals, and classrooms in the many developing and third world countries. I wanted to start this blog to have a memory from the beginning of planning this adventure to the end.
I have a lot on my plate, I should really be studying organic chemistry right now instead, but foremost I have to choose which city to do my internship. I can either choose Arusha or Dar Es Salaam. Dar is the largest city in Tanzania and known for its beautiful beaches. Arusha is still a city but much more rural. It is the pedestal for Mt.Kilimanjaro. The projects abroad desk staff recommend that a pre-med student choose Dar Es Salaam because the internship is in the local teaching hospital. While there I would be treated the same as 3rd year interns in medical school in America are treated. I would conduct rounds, learn how to administer medication and do basic need work, and do outreach programs in the slums of the city. The city is also rated the safest city on the east coast of Africa. In Arusha, I wouldn't be able to do as much hands-on learning. However, I would be closer to national parks and surrounded by the more stereotypical African lifestyle.
I think I will choose Dar Es Salaam and then at the finish of my internship fly to Arusha and CLIMB MOUNT KILIMANJARO! so many bucketlist items getting scratched off at one time! I am researching different groups that do climbs, one I recently found was through REI. I really want my Dad and sister to come meet me and do it with me but it is very expensive.
I'm going through one of my biggest life changes right now and all of this decision making is SO HARD!
oh yeah and then there is the task of raising 6000 dollars to be able to do my internship!
Thanks for reading, if anyone has info or advice please share and keep my journey in your prayers.
Sarah
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